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iPad Pro Help me decide if I should buy an iPad Pro (non-creative)

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wnxgenral

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 14, 2008
286
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I have been on the fence since the original announcement because $1099 is a lot to shell out for an iPad but just like any new Apple product, I will invest as an early adopter. I am not a creative. I am a professional in enterprise technology sales. Here are some of the tasks I use my current iPad Air for.

1. Reading and consuming media (i.e. Wallstreet Journal / TechCrunch)
2. Reading iBooks
3. Netflix / Amazon Prime video in bed when I am staying at a hotel
4. Long transatlantic 12+ hour plane trips for movies
5. MS Office 365 (of which my company supports entirely)
6. Light emailing and calendaring
7. Note taking (the apple pencil really interested me here, can I use this to take notes in business meetings?)
8. Browsing the web while on the couch
9. VPN into the enterprise, my company fully supports iOS devices
10. Studying for the GMAT (side by side note taking and reading)

Devices I currently own rMP 13", iPhone 6s+, iPad Air LTE

Thanks everyone so much for your input. I look forward to hearing from the folks that are in non-creative lines of work and how this device integrates into their daily workflow.
 
Your list mimics what I would buy it for minus the jet set traveling and GMAT studying.

Interested for the responses as I fight the urge to purchase since my 3 year old son has taken over my Air 2.
 
wnxgenral said:
I have been on the fence since the original announcement because $1099 is a lot to shell out for an iPad but just like any new Apple product, I will invest as an early adopter. I am not a creative. I am a professional in enterprise technology sales. Here are some of the tasks I use my current iPad Air for.

1. Reading and consuming media (i.e. Wallstreet Journal / TechCrunch)
2. Reading iBooks
3. Netflix / Amazon Prime video in bed when I am staying at a hotel
4. Long transatlantic 12+ hour plane trips for movies
5. MS Office 365 (of which my company supports entirely)
6. Light emailing and calendaring
7. Note taking (the apple pencil really interested me here, can I use this to take notes in business meetings?)
8. Browsing the web while on the couch
9. VPN into the enterprise, my company fully supports iOS devices
10. Studying for the GMAT (side by side note taking and reading)

Devices I currently own rMP 13", iPhone 6s+, iPad Air LTE

Thanks everyone so much for your input. I look forward to hearing from the folks that are in non-creative lines of work and how this device integrates into their daily workflow.
Click to expand...

Looks like the iPad Pro will cover all that for you plus more. I sold my late-2013 15-inch rMBP for a 12" MBP but then decided to just get the iPad Pro. I never knew iOS can do so much nowadays and I never miss my MacBook at all. Of course, I still have an iMac at home to do the heavy lifting but I am using the iPad more and more.

The only thing missing on iOS (at least with my workflow) is the 'stationery' feature, and easiness of emailing in groups (but still possible). Other than that, I am loving my iPad Pro.
 
I like the iPad Pro for working with Word documents, because the larger screen lets me see more of the document at once, which really helps when editing. Remoting into your work computer should also be more easier/pleasant with a larger screen. iBooks and surfing the web on couch is a mixed proposition. I love the larger screen for reading, but it does get tiring to hold after a while, even with resting the iPad on my knees and/or lap. And while I've always gotten my iPads with LTE, I feel like with the iPad Pro, I don't need LTE because I don't see myself toting one around town. It's a device that will stay at home, or in a hotel room if I travel.

I suggest you buy iPP from Apple or another retailer with a good return policy. It's a great device, but you won't know whether it is worth the price for you unless you try it yourself.
 
Hi

Before the iPad pro I owned a iPhone 6s Plus, MacBook Air and iPad Air 2. I now own the iPad pro and iPhone 6s Plus. Not regretting it one bit.

I use it primarily in no particular order for:-
Light photo editing - Adobe Lightroom, fix, pixelmator and native iOS photos.
Light Drawing - procreate, paper
Light video editing/production - iMovie, Pinnacle pro
Work - use Citrix
Reading/research - iBooks, kindle, Refme, notes
Document production - word, pages, excel, Ulysses, wordbook
Pdf work - PDF expert, iannotate, Adobe fill and sign, pdf converter ,
Flowchart/mindmapping- pure flow, I thoughts, touch draw, graffio
Printing documents -printer pro
Presentations - PowerPoint, Explain everything, Final Argument
Watching Movies/video - native video app, YouTube, now tv, TV guide
Filing system - Dropbox for documents and Flickr for photos.
Mail/social media- native mail and calendar apps, yahoo, Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, FaceTime, messenger, podcasts, music
Gaming - nimbus
Browsing web - safari

Equipment - iPad pro, Apple magic keyboard, Smart Cover and. Apple pencil.

Fully meets work, professional, social and fun needs. I recommend iPad pro as loads of great apps to do what you want. The Apple pencil is a deal breaker too and along with the screen space makes for a complete joy.
 
JD2015 said:
Hi

Before the iPad pro I owned a iPhone 6s Plus, MacBook Air and iPad Air 2. I now own the iPad pro and iPhone 6s Plus. Not regretting it one bit.

I use it primarily in no particular order for:-
Light photo editing - Adobe Lightroom, fix, pixelmator and native iOS photos.
Light Drawing - procreate, paper
Light video editing/production - iMovie, Pinnacle pro
Work - use Citrix
Reading/research - iBooks, kindle, Refme, notes
Document production - word, pages, excel, Ulysses, wordbook
Pdf work - PDF expert, iannotate, Adobe fill and sign, pdf converter ,
Flowchart/mindmapping- pure flow, I thoughts, touch draw, graffio
Printing documents -printer pro
Presentations - PowerPoint, Explain everything, Final Argument
Watching Movies/video - native video app, YouTube, now tv, TV guide
Filing system - Dropbox for documents and Flickr for photos.
Mail/social media- native mail and calendar apps, yahoo, Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, FaceTime, messenger, podcasts, music
Gaming - nimbus
Browsing web - safari

Equipment - iPad pro, Apple magic keyboard, Smart Cover and. Apple pencil.

Fully meets work, professional, social and fun needs. I recommend iPad pro as loads of great apps to do what you want. The Apple pencil is a deal breaker too and along with the screen space makes for a complete joy.
Click to expand...

Are you finding that the size impedes mobility? or is it easy to grab and go?
 
No way, you'd want a Mini 4 for all this.

The Pro is going to be too bulky and unwieldy. I picture you on your flight holding that big screen taking up all the space from each arm rest thinking over and over how ridiculous it was to get this thing.
 
1. Reading and consuming media (i.e. Wallstreet Journal / TechCrunch)

Will look better, be more accessible and more enjoyable on an A4 screen - there's a reason A4 is the standard notebook size!

2. Reading iBooks
Same as 1


3. Netflix / Amazon Prime video in bed when I am staying at a hotel

Bigger video and 4 speakers - makes me realise how poor the sound was on old iPads and we've been 'coping' with it

4. Long transatlantic 12+ hour plane trips for movies

Same as 3 but with headphones! Battery life on this thing is better than the other iPad too in my opinion

5. MS Office 365 (of which my company supports entirely)

Use it - another update coming either this month or next but it's a strong app set already

6. Light emailing and calendaring

I run my business through it - this is easily covered.

7. Note taking (the apple pencil really interested me here, can I use this to take notes in business meetings?)

I've gone OneNote and have also tried Notability and GoodNotes. I went OneNote for tabs across the top and side as I tend to sit in s meeting and Gluck across other sections or meetings for reference or to create to do lists. Writing on is great and being able to search handwritten notes is amazing

8. Browsing the web while on the couch

I've done this the last 2 weeks - yes it's bigger - it either rests on my legs or the arm rest. Safari is amazing on the bigger screen

9. VPN into the enterprise, my company fully supports iOS devices

I haven't tried VPN

10. Studying for the GMAT (side by side note taking and reading

I took notes side by side with Safari earlier and plenty of space and real estate makes it pleasurable

As you'll notice - I just love this thing. I've just put the Kavaj case on it which makes it even better, now I know I'm not going to scratch the back I'm actually moving it round more and using it!
 
Ordered both Ipad Mini 4 and Ipad pro and pencil just today. Both 128gb LTE. Mini arriving tomorrow and Pro shipping 15th. We will be using Pro mainly for Internet, watching movies/TV. Mini is going to be my phone :)
 
wnxgenral said:
Are you finding that the size impedes mobility? or is it easy to grab and go?
Click to expand...
Is easy if you have a good bag to put it in otherwise I reach for my iPhone. Depends on where you going g to use it. Is okay at home, in office. I do not find it weighty but often use Smart Cover to stand it or rest it on my legs or arm.
 
craftEcowgirl said:
Ordered both Ipad Mini 4 and Ipad pro and pencil just today. Both 128gb LTE. Mini arriving tomorrow and Pro shipping 15th. We will be using Pro mainly for Internet, watching movies/TV. Mini is going to be my phone :)
Click to expand...
What you using as your phone number?
 
wnxgenral said:
Are you finding that the size impedes mobility? or is it easy to grab and go?
Click to expand...

I grab and go - it sits in my passenger seat so I can grab it again at the other end or my work bag depending on where I'm heading and plans for the day.
 
wnxgenral said:
I have been on the fence since the original announcement because $1099 is a lot to shell out for an iPad but just like any new Apple product, I will invest as an early adopter. I am not a creative. I am a professional in enterprise technology sales. Here are some of the tasks I use my current iPad Air for.

1. Reading and consuming media (i.e. Wallstreet Journal / TechCrunch)
2. Reading iBooks
3. Netflix / Amazon Prime video in bed when I am staying at a hotel
4. Long transatlantic 12+ hour plane trips for movies
5. MS Office 365 (of which my company supports entirely)
6. Light emailing and calendaring
7. Note taking (the apple pencil really interested me here, can I use this to take notes in business meetings?)
8. Browsing the web while on the couch
9. VPN into the enterprise, my company fully supports iOS devices
10. Studying for the GMAT (side by side note taking and reading)

Devices I currently own rMP 13", iPhone 6s+, iPad Air LTE

Thanks everyone so much for your input. I look forward to hearing from the folks that are in non-creative lines of work and how this device integrates into their daily workflow.
Click to expand...


Judging from your requirements I would say you are pretty much the target audience for the IPP.

Using it in portrait orientation for web browsing and documents is fantastic. This is where it beats laptops, and in my opinion it is worth the money just for this. Browsing forums such as Macrumors in portrait is a joy.

For video it is the best tablet available without exception.

As for the flights it would be perfect and is in reality no larger than the laptops everyone else will be using.
 
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rowspaxe said:
Really? Just go to the store and see for yourself!
Click to expand...

Kind of hard to grab the display model and go. :p

Seriously, things like how easy it would be to take it in and out of bags, for instance, can't be experienced in store.
 
Night Spring said:
Kind of hard to grab the display model and go. :p

Seriously, things like how easy it would be to take it in and out of bags, for instance, can't be experienced in store.
Click to expand...

I take it with me all the time...way lighter than my 15" rMBP!!! It also fits perfectly in the padded laptop slot in my Thule backpack.

Just think of it as an iPad Air...not much heavier and the additional width is surprisingly not a bother to lug around.
 
Buy and try it, there is little risk (damaged) as the holiday return allows you to bring it back in the middle of January if it does not meet your needs.
 
Night Spring said:
Seriously, things like how easy it would be to take it in and out of bags, for instance, can't be experienced in store.
Click to expand...

agreed. I am just frightened by all these people that are returning the IPP, I don't think I can recall a time where so many MR readers returned a product.
 
wnxgenral said:
agreed. I am just frightened by all these people that are returning the IPP, I don't think I can recall a time where so many MR readers returned a product.
Click to expand...

You must not have spent much time on the Apple Watch subforum. :D

There's also the iPhone 6/6+, where some people switched between sizes several times before settling on one. Or giving up and going back to 5/5s.

I think for your needs, either the Air or Pro would work, but it all comes down to personal preference. Like some people have no problems holding the iPad Pro in their laps for extended reading, while I get tired after a few hours, much as I love reading on it. So there's just no sibstitute for trying it for yourself.
 
Night Spring said:
You must not have spent much time on the Apple Watch subforum. :D

There's also the iPhone 6/6+, where some people switched between sizes several times before settling on one. Or giving up and going back to 5/5s.

I think for your needs, either the Air or Pro would work, but it all comes down to personal preference. Like some people have no problems holding the iPad Pro in their laps for extended reading, while I get tired after a few hours, much as I love reading on it. So there's just no sibstitute for trying it for yourself.
Click to expand...

What gets tired, the lap? As there are tons of cases that hold the ipad pro at all angles :)
 
MistrSynistr said:
No way, you'd want a Mini 4 for all this.

The Pro is going to be too bulky and unwieldy. I picture you on your flight holding that big screen taking up all the space from each arm rest thinking over and over how ridiculous it was to get this thing.
Click to expand...
I do not have an iPad Pro yet (it will be a Christmas present), but last weekend when I was flying home, I saw a person on the other side of the row I was sitting in using a Pro with a Smart Keyboard. It fit very well on the tray, rather like a medium size laptop. I do not see it as being too big for that use.
 
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craftEcowgirl said:
What gets tired, the lap? As there are tons of cases that hold the ipad pro at all angles :)
Click to expand...

Not the lap, my shoulders. Even with a stand/case (I have the Smart Cover) or pillow, I find I need to hold onto the sides of the iPad Pro to keep it balanced on my lap. After a while, my shoulders get stiff.
 
Pspressart said:
I do not have an iPad Pro yet (it will be a Christmas present), but last weekend when I was flying home, I saw a person on the other side of the row I was sitting in using a Pro with a Smart Keyboard. It fit very well on the tray, rather like a medium size laptop. I do not see it as being too big for that use.
Click to expand...
This is true. It's very light and well-balanced, too. It doesn't feel bulky at all.
 
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